The Disability Discrimination Act |
What does it mean?
Disability Discrimination 1995
DDA Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) was passed in 1995 to end the discrimination that many disabled people face. It protects disabled people in:
- employment.
- access to goods, facilities and services.
- the management, buying or renting of land or property.
- education.
Some of it became law for employers in December 1996. Others were introduced over time.
For service providers (e.g. businesses and organisations):
- since December 1996 it has been unlawful to treat disabled people less favorably than other people for a reason related to their disability.
- since October 1999 they have had to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, such as providing extra help or making changes to the way they provide their services.
- since October 2004 they have had to make reasonable adjustments to the physical features of their premises to overcome physical barriers to access.
For education providers, new duties came into effect in September 2002 under Part IV of the DDA amended by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA). These require schools, colleges, universities, and providers of adult education and youth services to ensure that they do not discriminate against disabled people.
Under Part IV of the DDA amended by the SENDA, the duty to provide auxiliary aids, through reasonable adjustment, came into force in September 2003.
The DDA also:
- allows the Government to set minimum standards to help disabled people to use public transport easily.
For more information visit the Disability Rights Commission http://www.drc-gb.org